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3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G. LA DOW.

WHEEL GULTIVATOR OR HARROW.

I Patented Apr. 22, 1884.

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3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

0. LA DOW.

v WHEEL CULTIVATOR OR HARBUW. No. 297,524. Patented Apr. 22, 1884.

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ilnirnn STATES PAT NT @rrrcn.

CHARLES LA DOW, OF ALBANY, NEWV YORK.

WHEEL CULTIVATOR OR HARROVV.

QPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 297,524, dated April 22, 1884.

Application filed November 7, 1879.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES LA Dow, of the city and county of Albany, in the State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vheel Cultivators or Harrows, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of cultivators having a gang or gangs of revolving disk-cutters, disks, or wheels arranged to work at an angle to the line of draft, and capable of adjustment relatively thereto, as exemplified in Letters Patent No. 8,159, reissued to me April 9, 1878.

The object of the first part of my invention is to provide a strong draft -connection between the diskgangs and the main frame, which connection will leave the ends of the diskgangs free to vibrate both vertically and horijustment of the gangs, but support their bear-' ings against vertical strains.

The object of the next part of my invention is to unite the inner ends of the disk-gang shafts by a flexible or ball-and-socket connection, and yet leave the shafts free to revolve independently of the balls upon their ends, thus greatly reducing the wear upon the socket 'to which end my invention consists in forming a composite or sectional ball upon the shaft,

(of which ball the shaft itself forms part,) so

that the shaft may revolve within and independently of the other parts, which are loosely connected therewith.

My invention further consists in combining a disk-gang shaft, a sleeve thereon having a hemispherical head, and a hemispherical scction loose on the head.

The object of the next part of my invention is to prevent grit and dirt from entering the ball-and-socket joints; to which end my invention consists in so constructing the composite or sectional ball that the section next the socket-opening, while free to rock, will be prevented from revolving by a pin taking into a recess in the socket.

The object of the next part of my invention is to allow the disk-shaft, disks, spools, and sleeve on the end of the shaft to revolve independently of the other part of the ball and of the sleeves upon the spools; to which end my invention consists in combining a diskgang shaft, disks thereon, a sectional ball upon the shaft, a socket for said ball, spacing thimbles, and a clamp-nut upon the end of the shaft.

The object of the next part of my invention is to provide a thorough and certain way of clearing the concave faces of the disks of clogging matter; to which end my invention consists in combining a diskgang or series of disks, a series of laterally-vibrating scrapers mounted on'a scraper-bar pivoted on supportingbars, in turn rocking on pivots on the spacing-thimble. This part of the invention also consists in certain devices by which the scraper-bars may be actuated by a lever pivoted on the frame of the machine.

The object of the next part of my inventionis to enable the driver, without employing his hands, to control the vibrations of the scraperbar from his seat on the machine;to which end my invention consists in combining a main frame, a disk-gang, alaterally-vibrating scrap er-bar, its pivoted supports, scrapers on said bar, a foot-lever, and link-connections for vibrating the scraper-bars simultaneously.

The object of the next part of my invention is to brace the disk-gangs and scraper-bars against working-strains, and yet to permit them readily to be adjusted laterally by the driver; to which end'my invention consists in combining the main frame, the disk-gangs, the scraper-bars, the pivoted supports between the spacing-thimbles and scraper-bars, the pivoted supports between the scraper-bars and main frame, scrapers, the rocking footlever, and link-connections between the rocking-lever and scraper-bars.

The object of the next part of my invention is to hold the disks down to their work, and also to cause them to cut furrows of a uniform depth, whatever may be the angle of the gang relatively to the line of draft; to which end relatively to the line of draft; to which end my invention consists in combining a main frame, adjustable gangs of disks flexibly connected at their inner ends, adjustable weightboXes, and mechanism for varying the angle of the gangs and boxes.

The object of the next part of my invention is automatically (by the jostling of the ma chine) to cause the scrapers to enter the concave faces of the disks and clear them of clo ging matter; to which end my invention con sists incombining a main frame, a disk-gang, a scrapenbar, and weight-box mounted on pivoted supports above said disk-gang, so as to be free to vibrate laterally, a stop to limit the vibrations, and scrapers mounted upon the scraper-bar.

The object of the next part of my invention is to brace the bar which connects the lever and flexible connections between the diskgangs against lateral or torsional strain; and to this end my invention consists in providing a suitable guide-plate in which the bar works, which guide may also serve to limit the vertical movement ofthe draw-bar or lever.

The object of the next part of my invention is to prevent the gang-shafts (independently of themain frame, from rising bodily, and to relieve the draft-bars of vertical strain; to

which ends my invention consists in combining a main frame, disk-gangs flexibly connected at their inner ends and united with the main frame by draft-connections, and stops applied at said draft-connections.

My invent-ion also consists in certain other details of construction by which the efliciency of the machine is insured.

The accompanying drawings show all my improvements as embodied in one machine in the best way now known to me. The details of construction may, however, be varied in many ways without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Figure 1 represents a plan or top view of my improved machine with some of the parts removed. Fig. 2 represents a section there through on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse section through the center of the machine, with the gang-bars and superposed parts arranged in the same plane. Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of one of the balland-socket joints. Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of a compound thimble forming one of the bearings of the gang-shaft. Fig. 6 is a detail plan view showing some of the connections between the main frame and gangshaft and parts connected therewith. Fig. 7 is a sectional detail view on the line 7 7 of Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is a view of the seat and supporting-standard. Fig. 9 is a cross-section through the seat-supporting standard. Fig. 10 is a plan view showing the foot-lever and linkconnections for reciprocating the scraper-bars laterally and simultaneously. Fig. 11 is a front elevation of the same.

The main or draft frame of the machine is shown in the drawings as composed of a cross bar, D, a tongue or pole, E, and double or bifurcated braces H, extending from the ends of the crossbar to the tongue, and preferably secured to both the top and bottom of both the cross-bar and tongue, these parts being securely united at their points of junction.

The disks A, which are of concavo-convex form, are loosely mounted upon the shafts N N, and are kept at suitable distances apart thereon by means of spacing-thimbles L and C, also loosely mounted on the shaft. In the present instance four disks and three spacingthimbles are shown in each gang. The middle thimble, O, in each gang consists of a spool, h, the enlarged heads h of which respectively conform to the concave and convex sides of the disks between which it is placed. Aloose sleeve, Z, enveloping this spool, is provided with a spherical enlargement, Z, about its middle. A boxing, M, envelops this spherical enlargement Z, and is flared out or cut away, as shown at no, so as to allow a vertical and horizontal play of the thimble within it. This box or bearing is made in two sections, and secured over the thimble by means of bolts and nuts in a well-known way. An oil-duct, 0, through which the bearings are oiled, extends through this boxing and the spherical enlargement on the sleeve. A pin or teat, Z on the spherical enlargement Z, works in a recess, m, in the boxing and prevents the spherical enlargement from revolving within the boxing. By this construction I obtain a flexible or rocking draft-connection between the disk-gang and the main frame, which connection admits of freely varying the relative angle of the gangs, and also allows the vertical rocking of their inner and outer ends in passing over inequalities in the surface of the ground.

It is obvious that instead of the spools h, with the enlarged heads h, a plain straight tubular sleeve a little greater in length than the external sleeve Z, might be employed. It is also obvious that instead of having the teat or pin Z" on the enlargement on the sleeve, it might be on the boxing and the recess m be in the enlargement.

Draft-bars J hinged or pivoted on the under side of the crossbar I) at each end, so as to allow horizontal play of their outer ends, project rearwardly over the boxin gs M. Other bars, J similarly pivoted on the upper side of this cross-bar at each end, also project rearwardly over the boxings, and are bent down,

as shown, so as to rest upon the bars J. These bars are rigidly secured to their respective boxings by means of the bolts and nuts,which unite its sections. The upper bars,J ,are designed to act as braces or stops to resist or limit the vertical movement of the gang-shafts N at their bearings, and to relieve the bars J from strain. They may be removed,however, and, should it be desired, the bars J may be secured to the frame in other well-known ways, and so as to prevent a vertical movement of their outer ends. By thus pivoting the draftbars J and bars J and also by connecting them with the disk-gang shafts by a rocking or hinge connection, the lateral movement of the gan gs, caused by theirvibration or by changing their angle, as will hereinafter be described, is fully compensated, and the bearings of the gangs are prevented from vertical movement. The other thimbles, L, consist each of a spool, h, similar to that heretofore described. Fitting loosely over this spool is a sleeve,l ,upon one side of which is an enlargement or lug,l". Upon opposite sides of these lugs are pivoted parallel supporting-bars c, which are pivoted to scraper-bars G, which support weight-boxcs F. The normalinclination of these bars is outward from the machine, and their movement in that direction is limited by a spur or stop, 1", on the lug Z.

Bars II If, pivoted to both ends of the cross-bar D, are also pivoted to the scraperbars G, the bars H being bent up and pivoted to the upper sides of the scraper-bars, while the others, H are pivoted to the under sides of said bars. These bars have sufficient lateral play upon their pivots to permit the oscillations of the weight-boxes and scraper-bars,

hereinafter referred to, but prevent the bars from tipping forward or backward.

By the above-described organization it will be observed that the pivoted supports 0 and the pivoted bars H H (being mounted on pivots transverse to each other) serve mutually to support each other against working-strains while permitting the scrapers to vibrate freely laterally.

Pendent scrapers are secured upon the scraper-bars G by means of slots and set screws, (or other well-known equivalent adjusting-clamps) sothattheir positions upon the bars relatively to the disks and their angle of inclination relatively thereto may be varied to suit different shapes of disks. By tightening the screws the scrapers may be made rigid with the bars. I consider that by mounting the scrapers upon a carryingbar and moving them bodily into the faces of the disks amuch better operation is obtained than where pivoted scrapers are rocked to throw their ends against the disks; but the scraper-bars may be mounted and operated in any well-known way.

The boxes F are designed for the reception of weights to hold the concave cutters down to their work. The depth of cut varies according to the obliquity of the disk-gang relatively to the line of draft. For instance, should the angle of the gang be very oblique its outer disks would have a tendency to cut deeper than the inner ones, on account of the earth pressing into the concavity of the disks.

To counteract this tendency I by preference The weightboxes are free to oscillate upon their bearings, so that the jostling of the machine will cause the pendent scrapers to enter the concave faces of the disks and clear them of clogging matter, and asthe supports of the weight-boxes are never allowed to pass a perpendicular position in that direction the boxes will be restored to their normal position by gravity. I provide, however, handles Q Q upon the weight-boxes, within reach of the driver, by mean-s of which he can draw the scrapers up to the wheels to clear them when desired.

The disk-gang shafts N N are united by a flexible universal-joint connection, which is constructed in the following manner: The inner end of each disk-gang shaft is flared out or upset, as at N, Fig. 4, and has loosely fitting over it a sleeve, I, having an enlarged head, i, the inner end of the axle and thehead of the sleeve forming a section of a sphere, substantially a hemisphere. A collar, 1, the periphery of which in cross-section is the arc of a circle, (or substantially also ahemisphe re,) is fitted loosely over the sleeve and abuts against its head A composite or sectional ball is thus formed upon theinner end of each shaft, composed of the end of the shaft N, the sleeve I, and the collar 1. The sleeve I might, however, be dispensedwith and the end of the shaft sufficiently enlarged (together With the collar I) to form a ball. These balls are enveloped by a boxing, B, provided with sockets M M for their reception. This boxing is made in sections secured together by bolts and nuts. Oil-channels 0 ,for oiling the bearings, extend through the boxing and collars I. Teats or pins 1" on the collars I work in recesses in the sockets M, and prevent the collars from revolving within the socket. It will thus be seen that the disk-gang shaft can revolve independently of the ball upon its end, and great wear of the balls and sockets avoided, and as the section of the ball nearest the socket-opening does not revolve dirt and grit are prevented from entering the socket, and the joint is thus kept clean and preserved from wear.

The disks A. spools h, shafts N, and sleeves I on the shafts in each gang are securely locked together by means of the usual clampnuts 12 a, upon the ends of the shaft, and by the construction of the thimbles and ball-and socket joints, hereinbefore described, are free I have upon the shafts, against which the inner disks in each gang could abut, instead of abutting against the sleeves I, as shown in the drawmgs.

A cutter or tooth, 0, is secured upon the boxing of the ball-and-socket joint to cut a furrow between the two gangs of disks. The angle of the disk-gangs relatively to the line of draft is varied and controlled by a flat dl'fl. *-bar, a, inflexibly bolted to the boxing B, as shown, and pivoted at its forward end to a lever, d, pivoted on the main frame of the machine, within reach of the drive, and held in any desired position by a sector-rack, c, and spring-catch m of well-known construction, which takes into notches in the rack.

The bar (it works endwise through a slot in a guide-plate, b, secured upon the frame. This plate braces the bar against lateral and torsional strain, and may be made adjustable upon the frame to act as a stop to limit also the vertical movement of the bar. In the drawings the bar is shown as limited in its vertical movement by the cross-bar D. The draft-bars J J 2 are free to swing at their rear ends in a horizontal plane when the ends of the gangs vibrate vertically, or when horizontally adjusted, and the adjustment and vibration of the gangs is permitted by the hereinbefore-described draft connections between the main frame and gang-shafts; but I do not confine myself to the construction shown for attaching the lever to the gangs, as it may be attached in any well-known way.

Link-rods n or, also pivoted to and controlled by the hand-lever d, are secured to the inner ends of the weight-boxes, and serve to assist in the adjustment of the gangs, and also to steady the weight-boxes. These rods are capable of yielding laterally, so as to compensate the sidewise movement of the weightboxes when the scrapers enter the concavities of the disks to clear them of clogging matter.

I have described the weight-boxes and scraper-bars as capable of being controlled by the driver from his seat by means of handles on the boxes; but as it is desirable that the drivor should have his hands free to manage the 7 team, I also provide means for controlling the weight-box and scraper-bar by the drivers feet. (See Figs. 10 and 11.)

The bars 11 are extended a short distance beyond their pivots on the cross-bar D, and are connected by means of link-rods K with a double-crank arm, K, secured upon a shaft, K", mounted in bearings K on the frame and controlled by a foot-lever, K, within reach of the driver, rocking on the same pivot as the crank-arm. It will thus be seen that by depressing one side or the other of this foot-1ever both gangs of scrapers may be made to simultaneously approach the disks or to recede from'them, as may be preferred, and by keeping his foot upon this lever the driver may control the oscillations of the weightboxes and scraper-bars caused by the jostling of the machine. This or equivalent mechanism may be operated by the hand instead of the feet, if desired.

The drivers seat S is mounted upon the inner end of the draft-frame of the machine, and extends backward over the ball-and-socket joints of the gang-shafts. This seat is supported by a standard, R, made of a single piece of iron or steel. This standard is of a concave-convex form at its base, as shown in Fig. 9, and gradually diminishes in size and concavity to its top, to which the seat is secured. By this construction a strong, light, and elastic seat-support is secured.

The operation of the machine will readily be understood from the foregoing description.

I do not broadly claim herein disk-gangs flexibly connected at their inner ends, and having draft-connections between them and the main frame, and mechanism for changing the angle of the gangs; neither do I broadly claim a scraper-bar having a series of scrapers thereon; neither do I broadly claim laterallyadjustable scrapers; but, so far as my knowledge extends, I am the first so to organize devices as to operate in the manner herein set forth and claimed.

In Letters Patent No. 8,159, reissued to me April 9, 1878, I have shown jointed draft-bars hinged to the draft-braces between the main frame and disk-gang axles; but such patent does not show a draft-connection hinged directly on the cross-bar or main frame; and the invention herein claimed is a material improvement thereon.

In an application filed by me March 14, 1884, and numbered 124,196, I have shown a machine exactly like that herein illustrated and described; and I hereby disclaim in this application any subject-matter claimed in said case.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a disk-gang shaft, a spool enveloping the shaft, a sleeve enveloping the spool, and provided with a spherical bearing, and a correspondingly-shaped socket in the boxing connected with the main frame.

2. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of the disk-gang shaft, the sectional ball loosely mounted thereon, and its socket.

3. The combination, substantially as here inbefore set forth, of the disk-gang shaft, the sleeve thereon, its hemispherical head, and the hemispherical section loose on the sleeve.

4.. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of the disk-gang shaft, the sectional ball thereon, the socket therefor, the recess therein, and the pin (on the section of the ball next the socketopening) workingin said I recess to prevent said section from turning, while permitting the ball to rock.

5. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a disk-gang shaft, disks mounted thereon, spacing-thimbles interposed between the disks, a sleeve on the inner end of the disk-gang shafthaving ahemispherical enlargement upon its end, a hemispherical collar loosely mounted on the sleeve, said hemispherical enlargement and collar forming a sectional ball, a socket for the said ball, a pin on the hemispherical collar working in a recess in the socket, and a clamp-nut upon the outer end of the axle.

6. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a disk-gang, ascraper-bar, scrapers mounted thereon, and supportingbars pivoted on the spacingthimbles and scraper-bar.

7. The combination, substantially as set forth, of a disk-gang, a scraper-bar, scrapers mounted thereon, supportingbarspivoted on the spacing-thimbles and scraperbar, a lever on the frame for actuating the scraper-bar, and a connection between the lever and the bar.

8. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of the main frame, the diskgangs, the scraper-bars, the pivoted supports between the spacing-thimbles and scraperbars, the pivoted supports between the scraperbars and mainframe, scrapers, a rocking 1ever, and link-connections between the rocking lever and scraper-bars.

9. The combination, substantially as here inbefore set forth, of a main frame, a diskgang consisting of concave disks mounted 011 an axle, mechanism for adjusting the diskgang relatively 'to the line of draft, and a weight-box mounted on the disk-gang and adj ustable with it.

10. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a frame, disk-gangs composed of concavo-convex disks mounted on axles, weight-boxes mounted above the disk-gangs, and a lever whereby the angle of the gangs and weight-boxes relatively to the line of draft may be varied and a uniform depth of cut of the disks secured.

11. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of ajmain frame, a disk-gan g,

a scraper-bar and weight-box mounted on pivoted supports above said disk-gang, so as to be free to vibrate laterally, a stop to limit said vibrations, and scrapers mounted upon the scraper-bar, whereby the scrapers are caused to approachand recede from the disks (to clear them of clogging matter) by the jostling of the machine.

12. The combination of the main frame, a disk-gang, mechanism for adjusting the gang relatively to the line of the draft, a weight support or beam mounted over and carried by the gang, draft-connections extending from the frame to the gang, which permit the adjustment of the gang, and a brace extending from the frame to the weightsupport or beam.

13. The combination of the main frame, a disk-gang, a weight support or beam mounted over and carried by the gang, and the bifurcated connection H H extending from said beam to the frame.

14. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of amain frame, disk-gangs flexibly connected at their inner ends, and also connected to the main frame, a lever, a bar connecting the lever and the flexible connection, and a guide-plate in which said bar works endwise.

15. The combination of the main frame, the endwise-moving draw-bar a, the slotted guideplate, and the disk-gangs, for the purpose set forth.

16. In a harrow, the combination of a pole, a cross-bar projecting laterally therefrom, disk-gangs hinged to the crossbar, a lever on the pole, abar connecting the lever to the disk-gangs, and a guide, between the prongs of which the bar is thrust back and forth by the action of the lever.

17. In a harrow, the combination of a pole, a draft-frame or cross-bar, disk-gangs con nected to the frame, a lever on the pole in front of the cross-bar, a bar connecting the lever and the disk-gangs, and a guide located 7 between the gangs and lever to regulate the motion of the bar.

18. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of the main frame, diskgangs connected to the frame by draft-conned tions, which leave the ends of the gangs free to' vibrate vertically and horizontally, and stops or braces secured upon the main frame, applied at said draft-connections to prevent them from rising, and to relieve the draftbars from vertical strain.

19.. A seat-supporting standard composed of sheet metal of concavo-convex form in crosssection, and tapering from its base to its top, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

OHARLES LA DOYV.

W'itnesses:

J as. H. MnLIoK, J. J. Jiiwsnn. 

